Chengdu Universiade | Olympic champion Zhang clinches seventh swimming gold

Gold medalist Zhang Yufei (C) of China, silver medalist Erin Paige Gallagher (L) of South Africa and bronze medalist Giulia D'innocenzo of Italy attend the awarding ceremony for swimming women's 100m butterfly at the 31st FISU Summer World University Games in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

CHENGDU, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- On the fifth day of the swimming competitions at the Chengdu Universiade, Olympic champion Zhang Yufei won consecutive golds in the women's 100 butterfly and mixed 4x100 freestyle relay, increasing China's number of swimming golds to 11 on Saturday.

As a double gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, Zhang did not disappoint her fans at either the recent World Aquatics Championships or the FISU Games.

Tightly chased by Erin Paige Gallagher of South Africa in the women's 100 butterfly final, Zhang dominated as she had in previous competitions and secured her sixth gold in 56.57 seconds, followed by Gallagher in 57.64 and Italy's Giulia D'innocenzo in 58.33.

In the mixed 4x100 freestyle medley, the climax of the day, Zhang swam the fourth leg and led her teammates to break the FISU record, pocketing China's 11th swimming gold and the seventh for herself. Italy finished second, clocking 3:26.75, with Brazil third in 3:27.82.

"My teammates performed very well in the previous three legs. I felt a little uncomfortable after jumping into the water, but I didn't want to disappoint them, so I tried my best and it turned out to be a success," Zhang said.

In the men's 50m breaststroke semifinal, China's Qin Haiyang, who went undefeated in the men's breaststroke at the World Championships, broke the FISU record in 26.38 seconds to reach the final.

In the day's other action, Italy won their sixth swimming gold when Matteo Lamberti won the men's 800m freestyle in 54.12. Tabuchi Kaito of Japan took the silver medal, with Lamberti's compatriot Ivan Giovannoin taking bronze.

In the women's 200m breaststroke, Kotryna Teterevkova of Lithuania clinched the gold, followed by Corbett Kaylene of South Africa and China's Zhu Leijie.

The men's 100 freestyle saw Kamil Aleksander Sieradzki of Poland emerge victorious in 49.08 seconds. He was followed by Italy's Giovanni Carraro in 49.18, with Lucas Martins Costa Peixoto of Brazil and Poland's Mateusz Jan Chowaniec sharing the bronze with the same time of 49.34.

The FISU swimming competitions will end on August 7, with China currently top of the medal tally.